From 'Irish Wish' to Culinary Bliss
This week's food news includes details on Bech-Bailey’s first ever Dublin event, hot new openings, insider industry insights and where to eat like Lindsay Lohan, sort of...
Fresh ingredients:
News & stuff I’m excited about
Here’s one for those of you who never got to Aimsir or who did and loved it…Dream team Jordan and Majken Bech-Bailey are joining forces with Roe & Co Distillery for what will be Bech-Bailey’s first ever Dublin-based event. It’s going to be a stunning weekend and something completely different for Jordan, Majken and for Roe & Co. The ticketed event is an immersive food and drink experience where you’ll taste excellent Roe & Co concoctions along with wonderful food from the Bech-Bailey team, while celebrating the history of Irish cuisine and whiskey. I’m admittedly a bit biased because I’ve been working with them on this but trust me, it’s going to be really special. Tickets go live on Monday 25th of March at 10am via www.roeandcowhiskey.com and are priced at €120 per person.
Biang Biang has opened on Little Mary Street, just off Capel Street. This new spot from the Bullet and Little Dumpling family will specialise in hand-pulled noodles, handmade dumplings, Xi’an Hamburgers, and other famous food from Xi’an.
There’s no stopping salad maestros Sprout - they’ve just opened in Camden Street.
Also on Camden Street - remember CN Duck in Ranelagh? It looks like they are back but with dumpings this time! CN Dumpling is now open.
Spilt Milk and Roots are now open where Twenty Three Ice Lab was on Drury Street and Irah from Foodstagam was in for a visit.
Chocolatier, Norma Kelly has expanded Praline, her café business in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, with a new twenty-seater confectionery concept. At Praline Pastry & Chocolate Café on Lower Cork Street, you’ll find a brand new chocolate counter full of Kelly’s handmade chocolate and a selection of patisserie.
I’m delighted to hear one of my favourite chefs Anna Haugh has announced her first book - Cooking with Anna: Modern Home Cooking with Irish Heart.
Now for a few food industry bits of news:
For anyone in the early stages of working on a food product the Food Academy, a Food Business Development programme for early to mid-stage food business owners run by the Local Enterprise Offices, SuperValu and Bord Bia is now recruiting. More details here.
Food producers already established - entries are now open for Blas na hÉireann 2024, the Irish Food Awards. Blas na hÉireann is the largest blind-tasted food award in Ireland. I’ve been a judge for a few years and think it’s a great way to get a product out there and recognised. It’s open to producers across all categories of food and drink with the early bird discounted rate for entries running until April 3rd. Entries close on May 16th, with judging happening over the summer months and the awards announced on Friday 4th of October in Dingle. Find out more here.
If you’re a food business looking to improve your marketing Dublin Food Chain is hosting a Marketing And Building Your Food Brand workshop on April 9th in the Spencer Hotel covering social media (The Happy Pear), food PR (Resident PR), food styling and food photography (Luvly Content).
Great news for up-and-coming food producers Bahay, they’ve moved into a new kitchen at Spade Enterprise. Hopefully, this means we’ll see more of their yummy banana ketchup…
Do you use a plastic or wooden chopping board? If you’re on the plastics (as most professional kitchens are) would you consider changing? Chef Jack Feeny, of No Mise En Plastic has launched a campaign to get restaurants to switch from plastic to wood. There are loads of other great tips here too for a more sustainable kitchen.
Did you know our own Darina Allen is also a wooden chopping board advocate.
Table Talk:
Where and what I’ve eaten this week
Cheese. I ate a lot of cheese this week because my last stop on the Belfast trip was a stop off at Mikes Fancy Cheese. I think this could just be the best cheese shop in Ireland. Owner Mike Thompson makes the very, very good blue cheese Young Buck and then also stocks his shop with cheese of equal calibre from all over the island of Ireland. It’s a treasure trove of stuff you will want to bring home (and I did). A must visit if you are up that way but they also have an online shop 👀 I’ve loads more to share on Belfast - coming soon here or on Insta…
Popped into Bar 1661 for an afternoon tipple. I knew the drinks were going to be top-notch here, but was also pleasantly surprised by the bar snacks. Tucked into some oysters with mignonette dressing, a cheese plate with Durrus, Killeen and honeycomb and Ispini and Gubbeen charcuterie. So simple and so tasty. I wish more pubs and bars did this style of snacks. For drinks, I had a very pleasant pint and also tried the Right to Fight made with Micil poitín, mezcal, charred corn, and saffron. Divine.
Dates for the Diary:
Tasty things to book ahead
For better or worse it seems we all watched Lindsay Lohan’s new flick Irish Wish last week 🤭 did you spot that the Kennedy’s lavish home was Kilruddery House and Gardens? Why not follow in Lohan’s footsteps and head there in March or April - but for nothing to do with Irish Wish thankfully! Go because they have some great supper clubs lined up. And apparently, the Cliffs of Moher are just down the road…
A banquet in a castle? Yes, please! This upcoming event at Lismore Castle celebrating all things great in Irish food and drink from Anthony O’Toole, Santina Kennedy and Seáneen Sullivan as part of the Waterford Festival of Food sounds wonderful.
And another great one for Waterford - Aishling Moore from Goldie is taking over Eunice Power’s & Chips - that will be one very tasty collab.
On the last Thursday of every month, Limerick & Clare Wine Lovers’ Club guided by local sommelier Nick O’Callaghan meets for a wine tasting at the charming hotel No. 1 Pery Square in Limerick’s Georgian Quarter. The next meet-up focuses on Portuguese wines. You can book in for an overnight with wine club tickets and delicious breakfast the next morning from €190 for overnight and wine club ticket for single occupancy and €305 for two people sharing and 2 wine club tickets. www.oneperysquare.com
The Cove at Fota Island Resort is hosting a special wine dinner on Wednesday 17th April, with the couple responsible for the wines of Château Queyron Pindefleurs, Chantal and Peter Watts. Tickets for the event include a seven-course menu with paired wines for €120 per person with very limited availability. Stay over at the five-star Fota Island Resort for €165 b&b for single occupancy or €185 for double occupancy. Book tickets here.
The Johnstown Estate near Enfield, Co Meath is doing Chocolate Themed Afternoon Tea for the Easter season and an Easter Sunday Lunch www.thejohnstownestate.com
Petit Fours:
A ‘Soleful’ Sandwich for Air Max fans
I love listening to Radio Cherry Bombe so what a buzz to see it’s Jess Murphy from Kai featured this week!
Another podcast favourite of mine is The Centre Cut Podcast where Mike and Matthew talk about Irish whiskey and loads more. I was chuffed when the lads asked me to chat about food, drink and my upcoming book, you can have a listen here.
A fun idea from Baileys, they’ve created a new ‘audio innovation’ called Baileys Sound Scales. You open SoundScales.Baileys.com on your phone, tap the prompt to ‘Listen’ blow gently over the top of the bottle and it can tell how much Bailey’s is left! Now I need to get a bottle, drink some and try this out.
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoy my writing and want to support, my first book A Compendium of Irish Pints is out on May 7th it’s available for preorder now from Nine Bean Rows or preorder from an Irish bookseller. GRMA
It must be so much fun to be a judge at the Irish Food Awards!